Showing posts with label knit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knit. Show all posts

Friday, July 12, 2013

Adventures in Blythe Knitting

While planning our raffle donation for Blythecon this year with Wendy (of tinysea), I had a perfect dress in mind. I wanted it to have a solid bodice with cables down the skirt in a cream color. After lots and lots of tries and ripping out rows, I settled on a lace pattern that gave me just the look I wanted. Originally, I thought it turned out kinda bad in the back so I decided that I'd make another for BC and keep this one. I tossed it in some kool-aid, which I always use to dye my yarn, and I absolutely love the way it turned out!

Before, trying to decide on colors.

It came out WAY brighter than I was imagining and the camera has a hard time picking up the color. It's a nice orange-red in the center that fades into a darker red around the edges. After the dress dried from the dye bath, I realized the back was just fine. One vintage flower bead later and this dress is perfect. I'm hoping to knit some more of these in some custom ooak colors (dyed my me) to put in my shop in August.




Wendy is making an apple hat to go with my (new) dress. If you want a chance to win, you'll have to buy a ticket at Blythecon in October! I'll be posting once I get the hand dyed dresses for my shop ready!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Petite Blythe Dress Pattern

I love the petite Blythes that Littlest Pet Shop put out. They have tilting heads and are just so tiny! My girls were stuck with their stock clothes, which were just ok, so I made them some dresses. I thought I'd share the pattern in case you are in the same boat. This dress fits both Takara and LPS petites. 

You may notice my little model in the yellow dress. She was my project last weekend and I had a blast working on her. She's been spray painted and given a wig I made from leftover alpaca locks. She started out as the London girl with pigtails so she had quite a transformation!

If you make a dress, I'd love to see it added to the pattern page on Ravelry! Click the link below to view the pattern. 




Petite Blythe Dress Pattern


Yarn: fingering weight
Needles: Size 0 (US), 2.0mm
Gauge: 12 sts = 1 inch in stockinette 

Yardage: This is perfect for scraps!

This dress is worked flat and then seamed halfway up the back. I used both kfb and m1L increases because I like they way they look in this instance. The m1L is a bit fiddly with this small of a needle so If you want to use a different invisible increase, feel free.

PM - place marker
kfb - knit front and back
m1L - make one left

CO 20 sts

R 1: knit
R 2: knit
R 3: p4, PM, p2, PM, p8, PM, p2, PM, p4
R 4: knit all, kfb before and after each marker
R 5: purl
R 6: knit all, kfb before and after each marker
R 7: purl
R 8: k8, bind off 5, k12, bind off 5, k8 (you can remove the markers on this row)
R 9: p6, p2tog, p11, p2tog, p6
R 10: knit
R 11: purl
R 12: *k2, m1L*
R 13: purl
R 14: *k5, m1L*
R 15: purl
R 16: knit

Repeat rows 15 and 16 until desired length ending on a knit row. Knit one more row and bind off. Sew up back halfway and finish with a snap at the top.  


Please note this is for personal use only. This means no selling the finished product or copies of this pattern. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Retail Therapy and Pinterest Faves

You may have noticed things have been a bit slow around here. As you know, last Monday I started my new job and on Thursday I slipped and fell at work, breaking my elbow! It's a small fracture that will heal without a cast, but I have major bruising, a very limited range of motion, and can't lift anything. I also sprained my wrist and had a mild concussion. I'm thankful that I wasn't hurt worse but it's been a crazy past few days.

I thought I'd share some of the things I've been loving on Pinterest lately.

This hilarious octopus doing stranded color work. 

Colors are super inspiring to me and right now I'm loving mint paired with orange


This outfit just kills me! The pixelated shirt, the bloomer style shorts, and those fringe boots!
 Perfect outfit for a little girl!

I think I may have the quilting bug and I haven't even started one yet. There are just so many to like! Like this gorgeous triangles quilt by Blue is Bleu. 

I also got to spend a bit of my christmas money, buying some new bras from Soma (best ever), the Robecca Steam Monster High Doll, and these two awesome things from ModCloth:


The grey dress is a perfect wardrobe staple that can be worn year round and that cardigan has been tempting me for months! I just couldn't resist the lace and gradient yarn. Lucky for me, it stuck around in the the shop and I got it on sale for $35!

That's all the exciting things going on around here.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

HPKCHC Fall 2012 Term Round-Up

I know you are probably thinking what the heck is HPKCHC? It is a group over on the knit/crochet community, Ravelry, called Harry Potter Knit Crochet House Cup. See? HPKCHC is much easier to write! Now you are probably wondering what that is. It's a friendly crafting competition framed within the Harry Potter world. We are sorted into houses and then craft for points to bring home the House Cup. Every month of the 3 month term, we have 8 "classes" to choose from, all from the HP books. They have different challenges that revolve around their area of study (say dementors for DADA or polyjuice for Potions). When you complete a challenge, you turn it in as "homework" to get points. There is also quidditch which involves more crafting for points. Obviously there is a bit of a role playing element to it all!

melofors hat, snowflake doily
It sounds way dorky and it kind of is but it's a total blast. While I played Nerd Wars in the past (another competition group on Ravelry) this was my first time playing in the House Cup. I love that it involves my love of HP with crafting and writing. These competition groups are fantastic motivators to get things done! Even making a boring garter stitch dishcloth can be fun when it's framed within a competition and theme.

calavera amigurumi, puff paint mask

I was sorted into Ravenclaw for my first term, and had so much fun. Because everyone was so nice, I never felt left out because I was a "first year". Ravenclaw had it's own activities to participate in, and even has a thread about dolls! They also love spreadsheets, and the oxford comma. These are people after my own heart! I can proudly say we scored the most points and therefor won the House Cup this term! :tosses confetti:

hand dyed yarn, blythe helmet with demi octopus
Here's the number of projects I completed September - November in the fall term:
10 little bows
6 hats
3 dishcloths
2 amigurumi
3 things for Blythe
2 masks - one knit, one paint
1 dyed skein of yarn
1 sewn project bag
1 knit bag
1 dish scrubber
1 poop bag holder

I did 11 knit, 18 crocheted, 2 sewn, one dyed, and one painted project! A lot of these were Christmas presents, so it was fun to earn points while making things that had to be done.

autumn slouchy hat, project bag
If you knit, crochet, spin, or dye yarn, and like Harry Potter, I highly suggest you play! The minimum requirement is to finish one class per month which can be something as a hairbow or dishcloth. There are all skill levels playing the game so you don't have to be spectacular to play. You have an entire month to complete at least class and I've seen everything from a blanket square to a sweater turned in. Here's the group and sign-ups for the next term (January - March) are open now through December 20. If you are too nervous to jump in and want to just dip a toe, you can play as a Not Quite First Year (NQFY) where there are no minimum project turn-ins. You don't have to sign up to play as a NQFY and can start that anytime (even in March!).

If you sign-up, play as a NQFY, or already play, let me know!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Mixed Tape Mitts Pattern


Knit Picks Chroma Worsted in Mix Tape.... I have been in love with this yarn since I first saw it. The colorway was my favorite of all the Chroma yarns and sadly, it's now discontinued. I did manage to get myself one lovely ball that I've been holding onto for the right pattern. Unfortunately, I never found that pattern! Since I'm ahead on my Christmas knitting, I thought I'd make myself something so I whipped these mitts up.



This is a very basic pattern and it is assuming you already know how to knit and work basic (ribbing and stockinette) stitches. Please let me know if you have an issues with it! This is also on Ravelry under the same name so if you make them, I'd love to have it added to your projects. This is my first pattern I've ever released so be gentle. ;)

These mitts are worked flat and then seamed up the sides. I do have small hands (6.75 inches) and knit tightly, so you may need to cast on more stitches. 


Mixed Tape Mitts
Needle: Size 7
Yarn: Knit Picks Chroma Worsted (or any worsted yarn)
Gauge: 5 sts per inch


CO 34 (or add sts in multiples of 2)
Rows 1-8: k1p1 ribbing
Rows 9-35: work stockinette stitch
Rows 36-44: k1p1 ribbing
Bind off loosely
Sew sides (leaving gap for thumb) and weave in ends.
Bow: CO 13, work ss for 9 rows, bind off and block. Wrap center with scrap yarn. Center on the top of mitt (at the bottom) and sew on. 

Yay! I hope you all find that easy enough and again, if you make this, I'd love to see the results!